Berries
by Monkey and Music Lover
Summary: Cookies, presents and mistletoe are all sure to bring Christmas Joy when River joins the Doctor and the Ponds for Christmas.


**A/N: Hey guys! I am back! Yes I know I haven't been writing a lot but High School is pretty hectic. I wanted to get writing done over my Christmas break but sadly I have homework. I finished French and Math but I still have three English Essays I hope to finish before the week is up. Buuut! I managed to find time in between to write you guys a little late Christmas fic! :D It is indeed DRiver and RAmy and if there are any mistakes I am sorry, it is nearly 6 in the morning, I have not slept yet and I beta-ed it myself. So, I hope you guys like it and if you do - even if you don't - I would appreciate feedback. Thanks and **

**HAPPY LATE CHRISTMAS

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Merry songs echoed through the TARDIS. The Ponds were cuddling up at the fireplace they recently discovered. The Doctor smiling as he sang along with the songs with yet another ridiculous hat on his head. But for this time, just this time, the hat was allowed.

This was Christmas in the TARDIS.

After stopping a group of Pilamatirians from conquering Mars they were ready to relax. They packed into the TARDIS and are currently floating freely in space for the safest, calmest Christmas the Doctor ever had.

He left the couple to bond near in the newly discovered den while he finished decorating the TARDIS for Christmas Day. With a Santa hat planted firmly on his head he went around putting tinsel and lights up around the TARDIS. Colorful blinking lights were swung expertly around the railings. There was a wreath on each and every door in the TARDIS - at least every discovered door. Snow flakes hanging off the ceiling. And mistletoes hiding all over the TARDIS.

After several hours of decorating the Doctor stood back and admired his work. He looked at his watch and smiled as the clock stuck midnight. Not half bad for an old timer. He continued to stand there until he heard a ding come from the kitchen - cookies were ready!

"Cookies are done!" he exclaimed with a goofy grin on his face. He raced off to the kitchen to beat the couple. He pushed the door open and froze in his steps.

"Hello Sweetie," River smiled widely as she took another bite of the cookie in her hand, "Merry Christmas." she greeted kindly.

"Merry Christmas, River." the Doctor greeted back politely as he approached her and pulled the cookie sheet away from her with a pout. He wanted the first Christmas cookie. "How'd you get in here?"

The Doctor expected her to look at him in shock at how rude that had sounded. But as always River was the one to give him the unexpected. Her smile simply widened as she finished off her cookie and sipped the eggnog in front of her.

"It's very good to see you too," she decided to say and before she could add much more they were joined by Amy and Rory.

"River!" Amy exclaimed in happy surprise. She smiled at the older woman and walked over to give her a hug. "Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas Amy, Rory." River hugged both of them happily.

"The Doctor didn't tell us you were joining us," she couldn't help but look at the Doctor with a knowing smile. She was not going to stop believing that these two were meant to get married one day.

"Because she was just stopping by," the Doctor interrupted, "and now that she's said all her hellos and greetings she's going."

"Doctor," Amy scolded him, "don't be rude! You don't have to go River."

"Yes she does," the Doctor insisted. The Doctor might have a habit of finding trouble, but he knew River had a habit of bringing trouble everywhere she went and he rather not be sucked into anything she has planned.

"Oh, stop worrying Doctor," River read his mind, or rather his expression. He looked quite worried having her around and she couldn't blame him. By now he should know that she usually has a reason for dropping by. A reason in which she drags him into one way or another. "I'm not here for anything more than to have a nice Christmas and drop off your Christmas present." she smiled.

This seemed to peak the Doctor's interest as he looked at River with a cocked brow. "What present," the Doctor asked awkwardly, he didn't even consider getting River anything.

"Doctor, we do this every year. You can't tell me you forgot somehow," River told him. The Doctor continued to look confused and a little embarrassed at not having a gift to exchange. Then something clicked in her head and she realized, "Oh, I came too early again didn't I?" she sighed.

"I can't seem to make it at the right time the first time. I'm either too late or too early." she began to ramble a bit. "There must be something wrong with my vortex manipulator because I set the coordinates to the right time, I even made sure it was linked to the TARDIS but it made me arrive too early. Sorry for the confusion dear," she apologized briefly as she tried to reroute her vortex manipulator.

"Oh you don't have to leave do you?" Amy suddenly asked hopefully.

River looked up for a moment to answer, but saw the sad look on Amy's face. She looked to Rory who shared the same upset expression. They all grew rather close after all they adventures they had together. She then turned to the Doctor who was trying to avoid her gaze.

"Well," she almost felt bad for pulling out this card, "it's all the Doctor's choice. If he'd like me to stay then I'd be glad to, but if he'd like me to go then I suppose I must."

Amy turned to the Doctor with a wide grin on her face as she and Rory held their hands together almost begging. The Doctor wouldn't admit it, but he was beginning to enjoy River's company as much as his companions were. The only problem was the trouble she brought along and at that moment she seemed almost harmless. He thought for a moment how to word his response and smiled cleverly.

"Well River, I suppose you might as well stay since you will be meeting me again later and the weather is quite bad for time travelling, especially if you really don't know where you'll be ending up, so you could wait until it warms up a bit."

River couldn't help but grin knowingly. No matter how he worded it she knew it meant he truly wanted her to stay. "It's decided then," she stated, "I'll be staying."

Amy squealed and hugged one of her best friends happily. "Alright come along then," Amy grabbed the tray of cookies, "lets go to the den and exchange our gifts. Oh River you should see what the Doctor has done to the place. He really has gone all out."

They followed Amy out of the kitchen and through the very festively decorated console room. Up the stairs to the third floor and five doors down to the left was where the den hid quite well. As they walked in the Doctor allowed them to walk in before him and gave them all a smile - one River found quite suspicious.

Only several steps into the door and the Doctor called them to a halt. "Stop right there." he ordered them, staying a foot away, "You three are standing under the mistletoe." he couldn't help but grin foolishly.

The trio looked up and gave a bit of a chuckle at the mistletoe ceremoniously hung above them. The Doctor walked around them, successfully avoiding the trap. With a few laughs the humans exchanged friendly hugs and kisses to the cheek. River stepped out of the circle to allow the couple a more intimate moment.

Amy and Rory shared a sweet, soft kiss under the mistletoe. Amy wrapped her arms around Rory's neck and he around her waist as they held onto to each other for as long as possible. Neither tried to ruin to kiss by deepening it. They kept it light and loving, the way only lovers could.

River stood back admiringly as her friends shared a close, tender, blissful moment. After what felt like an eternity they finally pulled apart and stared lovingly at each other, their foreheads pressed together as they kept their eyes together.

"Alright then," the Doctor finally intervened, "now all three of you just have to pull out a berry and we can finish go open presents."

Rory and Amy turned to him confused and he immediately groaned rubbing his hand over his face. "Please don't tell me you don't know."

"It's the original mistletoe tradition," she explained, not waiting for either of them to respond to the Doctor, "when you're finished under the mistletoe you pluck a berry from the bush." River came over and plucked out a berry for hugging Rory. "We take a berry for each pair. I hugged Rory so I took one."

"When there are no more berries in the bush, then it's just another decoration. No more hugging or kissing or whatever it is you do under it," the Doctor finished.

Rory and Amy nodded understandingly and smiled as they each plucked out a berry. They turned back to the older pair who smiled at them.

"Now for the presents!" the Doctor exclaimed.

They all gathered by the fire where Rory, Amy and the Doctor set up the tree. Amy and Rory handed River and the Doctor the gifts they had gotten them and in turn River revealed the gifts she had prepared for them. The Doctor took off his hat and dug into it, handing presents to his two companions. Then the Ponds handed each other their gifts.

They all took turns opening their gifts. River carefully opened her box, peeling off the tape gently, and took out a stunning necklace. It was sterling silver with a beautiful turquoise gem as a single ornament. She hugged them thankfully.

The Doctor was next to open his gift. Unlike River, he unceremoniously ripped the paper off his box like a five year old child. He grinned widely as he took out the brand new fez that they had gotten him. He exchanged the Santa hat on his head for the fez. Then he looked at River cautiously.

"You can wear it," River smiled, "but only for today."

The Doctor grinned childishly.

Now it was time for Amy and Rory. Amy opened River's gift first and it was a delicate watch that shifted as you entered different timezones, planets, periods, and universes, as well as shifted form to match any outfit that she could wore.

"Oh I love it," Amy exclaimed, instantly putting it around her wrist.

She then opened the Doctor's gift which was a collection of all of Amy's favorite stories and subjects in one compact book - bigger on the inside of course. She teared up as she looked through all the things she had mentioned only once or twice from her childhood. Her arms flew around the Doctor in a tight hug as she thanked him.

Wanting to save the presents they exchanged, Rory decided to open his presents next. He opened the Doctor's first and tried not to smile as he pulled out a brand new Roman helmet - his last one got vaporized the last time they saw the Dalek. The Doctor grinned, seeing Rory fail at trying to hide his joy.

He turned to the present River had gotten him and was surprise to see what his present was. It was a framed photo of three blonde and ginger children. Amy took a peak and her mouth fell open a bit. They both looked at River who only smiled and winked. Rory pulled Amy into his arms and kissed her cheek, sharing a warm tender hug with her.

"River," the Doctor silently hissed, "you shouldn't be playing with time like that."

"Oh Doctor," she simply smiled, "it's Christmas, some rules are meant to be broken."

He sighed and just walked a few feet away as they both turned to watch the couple open their presents for each other. They opened it together, completely in sync, and smiled lovingly at each present.

For Amy, Rory had gotten her a beautiful pair of diamond earrings that she had her eye on several years ago in Leadworth. She had no idea he remembered or even knew.

And for Rory, he had gotten photo album full of pictures of he and Amy. From the the very first moment they met to just a few hours ago when they were helping the Doctor decorate the tree.

They looked at each other before hugging and sharing another tender kiss, but much more passionate than under the mistletoe. River couldn't help but smile at them. They still had the same love for each other now as they do in her time.

After watching the pair for a moment, her eyes flickered up to the Doctor who stood there smiling a small smile. His face looked happy and content, but his eyes - even from the few feet River stood - screamed a different emotion. It held envy, jealousy.

He was so envious of his two friends. Not because they had each other, because they all had each other, but it was for the love they felt for each other. In this body, he's not yet sure if he'll be able to share that with anyone. Especially after what happened in his last life.

River couldn't help but look sympathetic towards him. She looked down at the present neatly wrapped in her hand that she was supposed to give her Doctor. A small smile tugged at the corner of her lips. She was already late anyways and he was going to get it one way or another.

She made her way over to him and he didn't seem to notice as his eyes stayed on his companions. She looked once more at the red wrapping and white bow on the box before she held it out in front of him.

The Doctor looked down and then back up at River. She smiled and looked down at the gift and back at up to him. "Well go on," she urged, "you were going to get it anyways, might as well have it now."

The Doctor smiled and took the present. He unwrapped it - saving the bow - and took off the top of the box. His eyes grew wide at shock and amazement as he slowly took out the item and dropped the box. It was a was a rock. Red, brown, purple and gold. But it couldn't be. Nearly impossible.

"I examined it several times, and then had several colleagues examine it as well," River said softly, reading his mind once more. He looked up at her with a few tears lingering in his eyes and she smiled, "it's real."

The Doctor hugged River, holding her as close as he could. "Thank you," he whispered into her ear, "thank you so much."

River hugged back, melting into the hug. "You're welcome, Doctor."

Suddenly, a high pitch squeal broke through their bubble. The pulled away and looked at Amy who was grinning at them like a child in a candy store.

"What is it," the Doctor asked worried.

"Look where you're standing," Amy replied giddily.

Rory joined her and grinned. Before the Doctor and River could figure out what the big fuss was Rory spoke, "Looks like you two are caught under the mistletoe."

The Doctor and River look up simultaneously before looking at each other with side, shocked eyes. "Uh..." they responded in unison.

"No-oh, oh," Amy shook her head, "you both know the tradition Doctor. You two have to kiss."

An awkward moment passed through the two as they stood looking at each other. River had no problem kissing the Doctor, she knew exactly when and how she'd get her first kiss from him but she had no way of knowing if this was how he was supposed to get his from her or if this even was their first kiss.

"Go on Doctor," Rory teased, "what are you two waiting for?"

Without another thought the Doctor leaned down and captured River's lips with his. It only took her a second to get over the shock and immediately respond to the Doctor's kiss. River wrapped her arms our his neck slowly, pulling him a bit closer and his hands landed firmly, but softly, on her waist to hold her still.

They continued to kiss like this for nearly a minute before the Doctor broke the kiss. River took her arms back, but the Doctor left his hands. Though their lips were apart, their eyes were still connected. The whole world was disconnected as the Doctor and River continued to stare at each other. Then, while keeping one hand on her waist, the Doctor reached up to pluck a berry from the mistletoe - still refusing to lose eye contact.

After another moment he brought the berry near their face and their contact finally broke. They both looked at the berry that the Doctor held between them and quietly spoke, "Looks like we got the last berry."

"Yeah," she whispered back simply, but they didn't seem to leave their bubble.

"I knew they were together," Amy whispered to Rory, who was slowly hugging her from behind and kissing her neck.

"Well then," Rory whispered back, "why don't we leave them alone."

Amy turned her head to look down at him and smiled with a nod. She grabbed hold of his hand and quietly led him out, thinking that the Doctor, nor River, noticed. They quietly closed the door and snuck off to their rooms.

River and the Doctor ignored the couple crawling behind them and the door that closed rather silently. They shared yet another smile as all of time and space seemed to stop.

"Merry Christmas, Doctor," she whispered once one.

"Merry Christmas, River."


End file.
